Preventing cross-contamination of food surfaces (such as utensils) and microbial growth on poorly cleaned or soiled surfaces is important to ensure the safety of the public. Cross-contamination can occur not just when a utensil comes into contact with multiple food sources, but can also occur when the utensil touches a common allergen, such as nuts. Additionally, microorganism growth can occur when utensils are improperly cleaned, or are not cleaned in a timely manner which may cause adverse effects to the public.
It is known that microorganisms may grow on food that is left out at room temperature for more than four hours, and in particular, prime microorganisms growth occurs between 40° F. and 140° F. Food surfaces coming into contact with food that has not been prepared or refrigerated properly can cause contamination, causing harmful effects if ingested. Maintaining clean and sanitized surfaces that come into contact with food, such as knives and other utensils, is thus an integral part of the food service industry.